


in the night we were free

by savagerhapsody



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-09
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-04-03 13:39:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4102957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savagerhapsody/pseuds/savagerhapsody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a night of fun at the ZOM house, Laura catches an unlikely ride. Hollstein</p>
            </blockquote>





	in the night we were free

The cold frost of January blew through Laura and Carmilla as they emerged from the sticky humidity of cheap beer and sweat from the Zeta Omega Mu house. Laura, wrapped tightly in Carmilla's leather jacket, grinned lazily up at her (newly-official) girlfriend. Her cheeks were tinted pink from just a hair's excess of the mystery liquor concoction of the night.  
“That was so much fun. Did you have fun? I had a lot of fun. Hehe...'fun' is a funny word. Fuuun.”  
Laura erupted into a fit of giggles, her speech lightly slurred.  
Carmilla did have fun, playing beer pong with the Zeta brothers and seeing their horrified faces when she easily defeated them in arm-wrestling contests. Without a doubt however, the best part of the night was dancing with the loveliest five-foot firecracker she had ever met. They danced for a majority of the night, and the sheer new-ness of their relationship made every slight touch unbearable. Laura was darling in her uncertainty, but with each drink she downed her touches grew more bold. Eventually, Carmilla could sense Laura's growing mortal fatigue which she was secretly relieved for, because Laura's dauntless affections were driving her to the point of insanity.  
After rejecting several brother's offers to escort them home (including one especially persistent brother who earned a stomp to the toes) Carmilla and Laura made their way into the silent winter night, the booming bass of the basement speakers still ringing in their ears. The light snow flurries that had begun when they entered the house had turned into a significant snowfall, with fat clusters of snowflakes whirling down to blanket the earth. There were easily three or four inches on the ground already.  
Laura, clad in black heels and a little black dress, clutched to Carmilla's jacket tighter, her slight frame shaking. Carmilla wrinkled her face in concern and wrapped her arm tightly around her.  
“Well we've had enough fun for one night, I think. C'mon, let's get you home.”  
Laura buried her face in the crook of Carmilla's shoulder.  
“But you're so pretty! ...Carmilla, make the cold stop.”  
With Carmilla's guidance, they carefully made their way off the porch and down the path toward their dorm room.  
“The faster we go, the faster we can get home.”  
They had only made it about a hundred feet before Laura began to whimper.  
“My feet...Carm they hurt.”  
Carmilla frowned. After several hours of dancing and now walking inebriated in the snow, Laura was struggling to move at all.  
“Come on cupcake, we'll be home soon...and we'll make hot chocolate and get under the blankets...”  
Laura put on a brave face and nodded, but her shivering betrayed her actions.  
Carmilla urged them onward and they shuffled together through the powdery snow for several more minutes until Laura sharply sucked in breath, obviously in pain. She struggled forward for a few more steps and let out a tiny yelp. She bent over, her arms on her knees, trying to grit her teeth through the throbbing agony in her feet.  
Carmilla wracked her brain for any possible way she could help. Their dorm was at least another half mile away and seeing Laura in so much pain made Carmilla ache in places she had long forgotten existed, covered in dusty sarcasm and bitterness.  
Finally, she had an idea. She took Laura's face in her hands.  
“Don't worry, I'll take care of it.”  
Carmilla glanced around in all directions, making certain they were alone. She muttered an indecipherable language under her breath, and bent down on all fours in the frigid snow. Grunting out of physical exertion, her body slowly began to lengthen, her back rounded in a hunch. Long silky black fur emerged in a wave across her body. Hands and feet were replaced by massive paws. A sweeping tail brushed the snow below. Carmilla, face lengthening into a muzzle, let out a final shout, which turned into a fearsome roar.  
Laura stood both in wonder and trepidation. Uncertain if the overindulgence was making her see things, she knelt down in front of her now-feline girlfriend. Her brown eyes met with piercing amber. She outstretched a shaking hand, which Carmilla met with her cheek. Laura fingers smoothed through soft fur, and Carmilla's chest rumbled in a purr of delight.  
Laura was breathless. “It is you.” she said.  
Carmilla's rough tongue swept across the palm of her hand, and Laura let out a giggle.  
“But how are we going to get home? Unless you want me to...”  
Carmilla only bobbed her head.  
“I don't think this is going to work...but OK.”  
Carmilla laid down in the ever-accumulating snow. Laura pushed herself onto Carmilla's back. When she had settled, she removed her bear-trap high-heels, and sighed in the relief it brought.  
“Well...here we go.”  
Laura patted Carmilla on the shoulder and Carmilla began to slowly plod ahead. Carmilla's wide paws made quick work through the snow, and in just a short span of time they were able to cover a decent amount of the campus. Laura sighed, her breath rolling out like a smoky fog. Perhaps it was the intoxication, or the easing ache in her feet, or the brisk night air, but something just under her skin began to tingle. Something in the night called to her. She felt alive.  
She leaned over, and whispered in Carmilla's ear, “I want to go faster.”  
Carmilla growled in response, and picked up their pace into a smooth trot. By this time, Carmilla could sense what Laura was asking for. She took them away from the path leading up to their dorm room and down a nearby hiking path leading into the woods.  
“Faster.”  
Carmilla broke out into a run, her huge strides soaring across the unbroken snow.  
Laura watched the snowflakes sparkle and dance against the bright moonlight overhead. For one brief moment the looming threat of finals, friendship troubles, vanishing students, and oh yes the resurrection of a great and terrible evil, suddenly vanished. For one brief moment she allowed herself a quiet moment of joy with the one person who seemed to make it all worthwhile. She sat up straight and raised her arms over her head. She couldn't help but laugh, a wave of giddiness washing over her.  
“Faster!”  
Carmilla roared with her, sharing in her delight. Carmilla weaved through thick oak trees, kicking up powdery snow as she went. Laura threw her head back, catching snowflakes on her tongue. It was a moment of thrilling clarity, as opposed to the muddled drunken haze of the Zeta Omega Mu house.  
When both of them were covered in a thin layer of snow, Carmilla bounded back in the direction of their dorm. Laura nuzzled her face in the warmth of Carmilla's fur.  
“Thank you.” she muttered under her breath. Laura reveled in the soothing rumble of Carmilla's purring.  
When they reached their dorm, Laura took care brushing the excess snow off of her clothing and hair. Carmilla shook her furry body like a shaggy dog caught out in the rain. Laura giggled softly and led them both inside. When they had both ascended the four flights of stairs and stood in front of their shared dorm room, Laura unlocked the door, but curiously stared back at her panther girlfriend.  
Carmilla made a noise that sounded nearly like amusement (if a giant black cat could be amused) and rose up on her haunches.  
Soon all her of feline features began to fade, her human shape returning. The only trace of black the remained could be found in her jet black hair.  
And yet, there one small detail Laura didn't seem to anticipate.  
“CARMILLA!”  
Carmilla grinned back, teeth flashing. Laura didn't seem to notice Carmilla had discarded her clothes in the snow back near the ZOM House.  
“What cupcake? You don't like what you see?”  
Laura grabbed Carmilla by the hand and dragged her through the doorway into their room.  
“No...I've just got other ideas in mind.”


End file.
